A cornerstone of CISF’s mission is to engage and connect people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds with the joy of boating. CISF owns a 23 ft Sonar and a 22 ft J/22, both keelboats.
Lessons are available from June through September. Family sailing, women’s sailing, adult lessons, bay adventures, and more are available!
Thank you to TPG Marinas for supporting our Community Sailing Program!
Sailing lessons will start the week of June 9, 2025!
(To Register, and to view Time Slots: Click here)
Program Details:
Group lessons – Sign yourself up and be a part of a small group sailing lesson. (Lessons will have no more than 4 people, and must have a minimum of 2 people.)
Intermediate/Advanced group lessons available: This session is for people who have taken 3 or more lessons with CISF or a similar program in the past. If you have questions about which session is the best fit for your skill level, please email Marina at CommunitySailing@JamestownSailing.Org. All other Group Lesson slots can accommodate any skill level.
Price: $75/person on a weekday; $85/person on a weekend
Women’s Sailing Nights – Sailing for women only, this is a social sail—you can enjoy a relaxed evening on the water, with as much or as little instruction as you’d like. (Lessons will have no more than 4 people, and must have a minimum of 2 people.)
Mondays and Wednesdays, 5 – 7pm
Price: $75/person
Festival Sails – Enjoy a few hours of folk fest and/or jazz fest, while sailing around the Bay! (Boats will not anchor at the festivals, but sail around the Bay and you can hear the music as wind and weather permit.)
Dates: Friday 7/25 (Folk Fest) and Friday 8/1 (Jazz Fest)
Price: $75/person
Family Friday’s – There are 4 sailing times on Friday. These are flat rate sessions for a family, a couple, or a small friend group. Maximum 5 people. (There will be an instructor on board as well.) Sailing times: 9 – 11 am, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm, 2 – 4 pm, 5 – 7 pm
Price: $150 total for the group!
Weekend Adventure Sails – Sail around Gould Island or around the tip of Jamestown! These sessions offer more of an adventure and are longer – 4 hours (versus our typical lessons that are 2 hours). *Offered select weekends
Price: $100/person
Learn to Race – 5 lessons offering approximately 12 hours of instruction. Each session will culminate with participation in CYC’s Fleet 12 Sunday Series.
Session 1: 11:30AM – 1:30PM (7/21, 7/23, 7,28, 7/30) + Race Day (12 – 5 PM on 8/3)
Session 2: 11:30- 1:30PM (8/4, 8/6, 8/11, 8/13) + Race Day (12 – 5 PM on 8/17)
Price: $450/person (sign up for session 1 or 2)
Private Lessons – Make your own schedule and schedule lessons when they work for you! Lessons are two hours long, but longer or shorter lessons can be accommodated. There is a base rate fee, with an additional cost for each person you add to your private lessons. These lessons maximize your learning, enabling the instructor to focus on what you want to learn and work on.
Price: $150 + $50/person added
All lessons are two hours long with a few exceptions – Adventure Sails, Learn to Race, and private lessons may have different lengths by request and availability.
Registration is on a connected system called CampBrain. You will need to create a user name and password to register/sign up for a lesson. Registration for all classes in 2025 is considered a “season” on CampBrain. This is important to know because if you sign up for one lesson and want to go back to sign up for more, you will need to log in and “View Details” under the application for your previous lesson. There you can “add people, sessions, options” to add more lessons. (It is counter-intuitive, but it is how the system works.)
Discounts
Participation Discount: A 20% discount will be applied to Adventure Sails, Group Lessons, and/or Women’s Sailing Nights starting at your 5th lesson. (Lessons 1 – 4 are full price, lessons 5 and more are discounted.)
Service Worker Discount: Those who are currently nurses, teachers, first responders, and active duty military receive $25 off their first two Group Lessons, Women’s Sailing Nights, or Adventure Sails. (Discount will be applied during registration)
Cancellation Policy: Cancellations must be made 24 hours in advance to receive a full refund minus a $20 administrative fee.
Rescheduling: Life & weather happen. If you need to reschedule, contact Marina: CommunitySailing@JamestownSailing.org. All lessons must be rescheduled before September 1, 2025. If it has not been possible to reschedule a lesson, refunds *may be given. (*Refunds will not be given if the instructor has made significant effort to provide a new time slot and the participant is unreasonable in rescheduling the lesson. If refunds are granted, they will be a full refund minus a $20 administrative fee.) No credits will be carried forward into 2026.
Sailing & Lesson Details
Location
We offer lessons on both sides of Jamestown – from East Ferry and Dutch Harbor. (See the map below of both locations.)
East Ferry Location: We will meet right downtown in Jamestown in front of the TPG Conanicut Marina office. The address is 1 East Ferry Wharf Unit 1, Jamestown, RI 02835.
Dutch Harbor Boat Yard: We will meet at the top of the dock and then walk down to the launch together. The address is: 252 Narragansett Avenue, Jamestown, RI 02835
Parking
The 2 hour parking lot in front of the marina is very strict! We recommend parking in longer term parking along Conanicus Ave.
What to Bring
Please wear comfortable clothes, layers, and shoes with good grip. We provide life jackets but you are welcome to bring your own.
About our Boats
J/22: The J/22 is a responsive, stable, and safe small keelboat with a fixed lead keel. The boat appeals to all ages and skill levels. It has a mainsail and a jib, but can be sailed under mainsail only. It holds 3-4 people comfortably, 5 if some are small.
Sonar: Sonars are one-design keelboats that are comfortable day sailors. They easily hold 3 to 5 people. It is the perfect vessel to learn the basics of sailing, as well as racing and sailing tactics. Moored in East Ferry, lessons will be offered this upcoming summer, where new and experienced sailors alike can explore Narragansett Bay!
Questions? Email: CommunitySailing@JamestownSailing.org
